Too much waste in the sea
Waste in the sea was such that plastic straws are now banned in Europe.
Why are we talking about it? Because in 2018 the European Commission proposed new rules to reduce marine litter in Europe, and thus prevent further pollution of the ocean. Cotton swabs, straws, plates, glasses, cutlery, etc., all these plastic objects are now banned in all countries of Europe to fight against pollution of the oceans.
Every year, millions of tonnes of garbage end up in the sea – the equivalent of a garbage truck being thrown into the ocean every minute. It is a real problem for the planet.
Because this waste, mainly plastic, is found everywhere: in rivers, on beaches, at the bottom of the oceans, etc. And kill millions of animals that mistake them for food. If nothing is done, in 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
So, to prevent further polluting the sea, the European Commission proposed new rules to be applied in all European countries by 2019. Such as the ban on certain plastic objects, for example. Thus, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and even rods to hold inflatable balloons and cotton swab sticks will no longer be sold.
Why these objects in particular
Because most of these plastic items are only used once before being thrown away.
And every day, billions of them are used around the world and they are not or little recyclable. They are also the plastic objects that are most often found on the beach and in the sea. Because, very light, they fly easily and can then be scattered in nature, or even sometimes forgotten.
However, even if they are small, these objects take hundreds of years to disappear.
But, with this new rule, that does not mean that these objects will no longer exist: they will then be made from recyclable materials, such as rigid cardboard, which pollute less and take much less time to disappear.
What about plastic bottles
Plastic bottles are also one of the 10 most common objects in the ocean. But prohibiting their manufacture is very complicated. So the European Commission is proposing to set up instructions: we can drop off the bottles at collection points (at the store, for example), to exchange them for a few cents. And thus dissuade us from leaving them in the wild. Instructions already exist in some countries, such as Germany or Belgium.
Another thing is people should be made aware about waste management, recycling and renting dumpster to discard junk. Anyone can find dumpster rentals near me by simply looking in google. This is the best way to remove unnecessary junk and old items from your home or office.